AWESOME AWAITS

Monthly Archives: June 2016

On Monday, July 4, grab a pair of our special viewing glasses and head over to Pirates’ Cove for a red, brick and blue spectacular! The free glasses are available beginning at 8 p.m. before the shores of Lake Eloise fill up with a patriotic presentation to end another awesome day of LEGOLAND® Night Lights, our all-new summertime event included with park admission.

In addition to all the LEGOLAND Night Lights fun, on July 4 only kids can join a special star-spangled activity inside the new Imagination Zone. Help us create a giant American flag out of LEGO® bricks starting at 11 a.m.

Upgrade to a VIP Fireworks Experience by calling (855) 753-7777. For just $30 per person plus tax, you get reserved seating for the show, several yummy snacks and an exclusive LEGO collector’s button. Space is limited, so reserve your space now! Annual Passholders get 10 percent off.

Casey’s dreams of a MINILAND 400 victory came to abrupt end when he crashed into a wall of giant LEGO bricks near the finish line.

Neck-and-neck they zoomed past the New York City skyline, remaining close as they barreled down the Las Vegas Strip. With the finish line in sight at the new Daytona display, Casey suddenly plowed into a pile of giant LEGO bricks near Kennedy Space Center while Layla raced ahead to claim victory. Her prize? A giant LEGO trophy accepted with a triumphant smile. Take a look:

Layla was selected for the one-of-a-kind race with the assistance of Merlin’s Magic Wand, a global charity that has helped nearly 300,000 children and their families enjoy a magical day out at more than 100 attractions operated around the world by Merlin Entertainments, parent company of LEGOLAND. Earlier this year, Layla’s dream of a huge backyard playhouse was fulfilled by Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida.

Afterward, the friendly competitors headed to the theme park’s new Imagination Zone. Let me tell you, this place is what your LEGO dreams are made of. It’s filled with hands-on LEGO building activities where kids can put their imaginations into overdrive.

After the MINILAND 400 race, Casey and Layla headed to the new Wheels Zone inside Imagination Zone, where they built and tested LEGO race cars.

Since Casey is a racing expert (even if he did get beat by a 10-year-old) he gave several young fans great tips for building creative LEGO vehicles to race down timed ramps in the new Wheels Zone. I wonder who had more fun, Casey or the kids?

Layla helped Casey and Chip Wile, president of Daytona International Speedway, place Minilander likenesses of the two men into the giant new LEGO model of the “World Center of Racing.”

Casey’s fans can watch him in the Coke Zero 400 at the real Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, July 2. Good luck, Casey!

OK, how about longer park hours? Plus, meet-and-greets with some of your favorite LEGO® characters, including Kai and Nya from LEGO NINJAGO™ and the dashingly handsome Lance Richmond from LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS™, who stars in the new 4D NEXO KNIGHTS attraction, “The Book of Creativity.”

Wait, wait. There’s more!

Dance to the summer’s hottest hits at a “glow” party in LEGO Technic starting at 6:30 p.m., featuring a live DJ! Complete a giant LEGO mural alongside our Master Model Builders beginning at 4 p.m. next to Lakeside Sandwich Co. Go on a park-wide scavenger hunt searching for LEGO stars that fell from the sky for a daily chance to win a LEGO prize pack!

How’s that?

Don’t answer, because there’s even more!

A themed fireworks show inspired by LEGO NINJAGO will light up the sky above LEGOLAND Florida Resort starting at 9 p.m.

The “Lightiest Nightiest Nights of All” wouldn’t be complete without two spectacular new entertainment productions:

In Heartlake City, enjoy an original signing-and-dancing stage show featuring the LEGO Friends called “Olivia’s Night Lights Celebration,” presented each date of LEGOLAND Night Lights at 4:30, 6 and 7 p.m.

End your day at 9 p.m. in Pirates’ Cove with a dazzling new fireworks show themed to LEGO NINJAGO, which will light up the sky above Lake Eloise with brilliant colors and triumphant music. Plus, starting at 8 p.m. near the twin waterskiing stadiums, our Model Citizens will hand out free viewing glasses that add a brick-tacular twist to the exploding action overhead.

Finally, LEGOLAND Night Lights guests will receive one free LEGO NINJAGO Sky Pirates Battle Toy Pack (which includes two exclusive Minifigures), with any $35 NINJAGO purchase at The Big Shop, including LEGO toy sets, LEGO Extended Line and LEGO Licensed products. Guests also can sign up for a free subscription to LEGO Club Magazine and receive a giveaway and free issue.

For a complete guide to all the festivities, pick up a free event guide at the theme park turnstiles or at Guest Services near Market Restaurant. While the theme park will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on LEGOLAND Night Lights dates, most of the special activities will begin starting at 3 p.m.

A special patriotic fireworks show is set for Monday, July 4.

Don’t think we’ve forgotten the Fourth of July! All the LEGOLAND Night Lights fun listed above will take place Monday, July 4 too, with a special one-night-only fireworks spectacular celebrating the patriotic holiday.

Wanna kick it up a notch?

For just $30 per person plus tax, upgrade to a premium VIP experience featuring reserved seating for the fireworks show, several yummy snacks and an exclusive LEGO collector’s button. Space is limited, so reserve your space now! If you’re an Annual Passholder, call (877) 753-7777 to book and receive 10 percent off the cost of each person. Spaces currently are available beginning the weekend of June 25-26.

Over at the awesome LEGOLAND Hotel, sign up for the free Tours and S’mores Adventure and depart from Bricks Family Restaurant on an exclusive, 45-minute tour of the historic Lake Eloise boardwalk led by our intrepid Adventurers and featuring lots of LEGO animals. Each tour ends with delicious s’mores around the hotel’s rustic campfire near the lakefront. A family s’mores pack is available for $10 plus tax, and feeds up to nine people.

This experience will take place weather permitting, and hotel reservations are not required. Sign up is first-come, first-served at the front desk.

In March, we debuted the park’s first expansion area, Creative Cove, featuring a great new attraction #BuiltForKids called Build-A-Boat.

Using thousands of loose LEGO® bricks, kids can customize floating boat hulls before racing their creations through fast-flowing rivers in a giant, hands-on activity center inspired by the LEGO City Coast Guard sets. Take a look:

We’ve also added two new locations for quick snacks, more seating capacity and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the entire water park.

A one-day, two-park ticket offers admission to LEGOLAND Florida Theme Park and LEGOLAND Water Park, and starts at just $91 plus tax when purchased online at least two days in advance.

The best way to make the most of every moment here is to plan ahead. For guests with disabilities, we’ve created a downloadable guide that makes it easier than ever before.

The comprehensive document will walk you through each aspect of your vacation, from arrival to departure, and offers helpful tips on everything from dining to rides that can be enjoyed in a wheelchair, advice for guests with prosthetic devices, and accommodations such as written aids and interpreters for guests with hearing disabilities.

UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, this event has been rescheduled for Monday, June 20.

The 1/20-scale model of the “World Center of Racing” was updated following the DAYTONA Rising project — a $400 million frontstretch renovation that made DIS the first motorsports stadium in the world.

On Tuesday, June 7,Monday, June 20, we’ll celebrate to the sound of roaring engines and cheering fans during the “MINILAND 400,” a special, one-day-only race #BuiltForKids. Veteran NASCAR driver Casey Mears will visit LEGOLAND® Florida Resort to preview the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ return to DIS for the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola on July 2.

And you’re invited to witness history in the making!

Casey Mears is driver of the No. 13 GEICO ChevroletSS for Germain Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Picture this: Mears will be snugly seated in a kid-size vehicle customized to match his No. 13 GEICO Germain Racing stock car, up against a 10-year-old girl representing Make-A-Wish® Central and Northern Florida in a race through MINILAND USA, home to dozens of LEGO landmarks from cities across the U.S.

LEGOLAND guests are welcome to witness the fun, which will start at around 11:30 a.m.

With a wave of the green flag, the drivers will take off from between the Statue of Liberty and U.S. Capitol, zoom past the New York City skyline and barrel down the Las Vegas Strip before reaching the finish line at the giant new Daytona International Speedway model.

Kids can build and test LEGO vehicles in the racing-themed Wheels Zone, part of the newly re-imagined Imagination Zone.

Afterward, Mears will greet fans in the newly re-imagined Imagination Zone. Using his years of competitive driving expertise, he’ll help kids build and test creative LEGO vehicles before sending them zooming down timed ramps in the racing-themed Wheels Zone.

If you can’t join us in person, follow the fun with hashtag #MINILAND400 on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels!

Fun facts

Designed by Merlin Magic Making, the new Daytona International Speedway display took a team of more than a dozen Master Model Builders to create out of 282,384 LEGO bricks.

The new stadium model stretches 31 feet and weighs more than 1,400 lbs.

The project required approximately 250 design hours and 2,100 build hours to complete.

Look for the word “Daytona” spelled out on fans’ shirts, a group of spectators holding letters that spell TURN LEFT and a contingent of misdirected soccer fans using their G-O-A-L signs to cheer on racers with G-O!

Sharp-eyed guests might also spot a cheeky nod to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s recent heart-stopping moment when his steering wheel came off during a race.

Kids will discover a summer packed full of fun at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort this year as the place #BuiltForKids offers new attractions, fun new LEGO® building activities and a brand-new summertime event that will light the night with a dazzling fireworks display:

LEGOLAND Night Lights — new event for 2016!The “Lightiest Nightiest Nights of All” invite guests to enjoy a brand-new event included with theme park admission and held exclusively at LEGOLAND Florida Resort. Here’s what’s in store every Saturday and Sunday from June 18 through July 31, plus Monday, July 4:

Extended park hours

All-new fireworks spectacular featuring LEGO® NINJAGO™ at 9 p.m.

New character meet-and-greets

New LEGO® Friends stage show

Minifigure mural build

LEGO® scavenger hunt

DJ glow dance party

For an additional cost, a special VIP experience is available with preferred fireworks seating, special snacks and more! Space is limited, so book now!

Imagination Zone — newly re-imagined!
The theme park’s Imagination Zone venue, a popular indoor space filled with hands-on LEGO building activities in a variety of themes, has debuted several all-new areas where kids can unleash the power of their imagination in fun new ways. Following a months-long refurbishment, the awesomely re-imagined space gives LEGOLAND Florida Resort guests many great new reasons to come and play.

While a few favorites remain, several new activities promise endless possibilities to dream it, build it, race it, fly it, swim it and more in a cool indoor play area that’s been totally transformed with colorful furnishings and floor-to-ceiling graphics. Highlights include Creation Zone, Water Zone, Wheels Zone, Building Zone and Flight Zone.

“LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS™: The Book of Creativity” — action-packed 4D film starring the new LEGO heroes!
Playing daily in the Wells Fargo® Fun Town Theater alongside “The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure,” this all-new 4D attraction is an immersive, animated adventure created especially for LEGOLAND Parks and LEGOLAND Discovery Centers around the world. Take a look:

Lance Richmond, one of the LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS, is available to greet theme park guests.

Set in the futuristic kingdom of Knighton, the 12½-minute film follows five young knights in their quest to defeat Jestro, the Book of Monsters and their Lava Monster Army. Led by heroic Clay Moorington, the band of knights join forces with the great digital wizard, Merlok 2.0, to vanquish the enemy and stop him from getting his devious hands on a powerful book of magic.

Plus, Lance Richmond, the handsome hero of LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS, will be available to greet guests outside the theater. Check the theme park’s free Show Guide for character appearance times.

Build-A-Boat — nautical new attraction at LEGOLAND Water Park!
Creative Cove is a new expansion area at LEGOLAND Water Park that adds a fun, hands-on attraction, Build-A-Boat, where kids can create and race LEGO watercraft through fast-flowing rivers alongside cheering crowds in a setting inspired by the popular LEGO City Coast Guard sets.

Additional dining offerings, increased seating capacity and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the entire water park round out the all-new offerings for 2016.